11,000 Rohingyas flee to Bangladesh in 24 hours

Around 11,000 Rohingyas crossed over into neighbouring Bangladesh in a single day in a fresh surge of refugees fleeing an ongoing military offensive in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.

“We’re back in a situation of full alert as far as influxes are concerned. It is a big increase to see 11,000,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesperson Adrian Edwards said at a news briefing.

“UNHCR is working with the Bangladesh authorities on a transit centre to prepare for a potential refugee influx in the coming days,” Edwards said.

Over half a million refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since August 25, fleeing a military crackdown that followed attacks by Rohingya militants on police posts.

Meanwhile, in Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh, the police said the bodies of another nine refugees washed up after an overloaded boat carrying scores of desperate Rohingyas sank in rough seas on Sunday, taking the death toll to 23, the Daily Star reported.

Among the nine, three bodies were recovered on Monday night and six bodies early Tuesday in the Naf river, which separates Bangladesh from Myanmar.

More than half of the victims in the latest disaster were children, officials said.